Stewed snakehead fish with pepper and crispy pork fat is both delicious and appealing, and easy to make, making it an ideal choice for your family’s menu. Today, TasteVN will join you into the kitchen to prepare a stew dish with snakehead fish in two very simple ways!
1. Stewed snakehead fish with pepper
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
25 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Stewed Snakehead Fish For 4 people
Snakehead fish 400 gr (about 2 fish) Caramel sauce 2 teaspoons (coloring sauce) Fish sauce 3 tablespoons Coconut water 2 cups Green onions 2 stalks Chili 1 piece Lime 1/2 piece Common spices a little (Sugar/MSG/ground pepper)
Ingredient image
How to Prepare Braised Snakehead Fish with Pepper
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Prepare the Ingredients
First, use scissors to clean the scales of the snakehead fish, removing all the internal organs and the head (you can keep the head if you prefer).
Then, wash the fish thoroughly and soak it in a mixture of diluted lemon water for 2 – 3 minutes to eliminate the fishy smell, then rinse again 1 – 2 times with clean water.
Note, you should use a knife to make a few diagonal cuts on the fish flesh so that the fish absorbs the spices better when braised.
Next, trim off any damaged leaves from the green onions and wash them. Wash the chili as well. After cleaning, use a knife to chop the ends of the green onions and chili.
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Marinate the Fish
First, place 400g of fish into a pan or small pot, then add spices including chopped green onion and chili, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 2 teaspoons of coloring sauce, and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce.
Next, use a chopsticks to stir well so that the spices coat the fish evenly, then marinate the fish for 15 minutes.
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Simmering catfish
Add 2 bowls of fresh coconut water into the pan with the marinated catfish. Then turn on the stove and simmer the catfish on low heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
To allow the fish to absorb the seasoning and be more delicious, turn the fish every 5 minutes while simmering.
When the sauce thickens, taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference, then sprinkle chopped green onions and ground pepper on top and turn off the stove.
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Final product
The delicious peppery catfish dish has firm and fragrant fish meat, with a rich sweet and salty flavor combined with a light spiciness of pepper and chili. The dish has a distinctive aroma of pepper and fish sauce that makes you feel hungry just by smelling it.
What are you waiting for? Make a bowl of white rice with some vegetables to pair with this delicious peppery catfish dish!
2. Braised snakehead fish with fatty topping
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Preparation time
30 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Braised snakehead fish with fatty topping Serves 4 people
Snakehead fish 500 gr Pork fat 200 gr Chili 2 pieces Green onion 5 stalks Coconut caramel sauce 1 tablespoon Garlic 10 cloves Shallots 10 cloves Fish sauce 4 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper/ salt)
How to choose good and safe pork fat
- You should choose fat that is opaque white, has good elasticity, not sticky or yellowing, and has no unusual fishy smell.
- To make delicious fat, you should choose the nape fat of the pig.
- You should select reputable stores to buy the best and highest quality fat.
How to prepare Braised snakehead fish with fatty topping
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Prepare the ingredients
To clean the snakehead fish, to remove the slime and fishy smell, gently rub the fish with salt and crushed ginger, then rinse it with water several times.
For 200g of pork fat, wash it thoroughly with water and then dice it.
Wash and finely chop the green onion and cut the chili into small pieces. Afterwards, peel the shallots and garlic, then chop them finely.
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Marinating fish
Put the snakehead fish into a bowl, then add chopped scallions, chili, and shallots along with 2 spoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of coconut color sauce, 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate and 1 teaspoon of pepper, then mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.
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Rendering the fat
Add the fat to the pan and render it over medium heat until the fat is golden and crispy, then when only the fat remains, turn off the stove and remove the crispy fat.
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Cooking Fish
Heat a new pan, add 3 tablespoons of pork fat broth from the previous step, minced garlic, and sauté until slightly golden. Then, add the marinated snakehead fish and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
After that, add 1/2 a bowl of boiling water, then add the pork fat to thicken the sauce before turning off the heat, and sprinkle with scallions and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
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Final Product
Snakehead fish cooked with pork fat is delicious and rich with the flavor of snakehead fish and the crispiness of the pork fat. This simple dish is suitable for every family meal.
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Snakehead Fish
- You should choose round-bodied snakehead fish, usually male, about 3 – 4 fingers in size, intact, with few scales missing. These fish will yield more meat, and the flesh will be firmer and fattier.
- If the fish has been preprocessed, choose those with bright red gills, clear eyes, no white spots or blood clots on the body, and the whole body intact without any skin wounds.
- Choose larger fish that feel firm when held, and if pressed lightly, the flesh should be resilient and not mushy.
How to Clean Catfish to Effectively Remove Fishy Smell
- You can soak the cleaned catfish in rice water for 15 – 20 minutes to eliminate the fishy smell.
- Additionally, you can use saltwater to soak the fish for about 5 – 10 minutes or rub salt on the fish before scaling and cleaning it.
- You can also use a bit of alcohol or white vinegar to soak and wash the fish to reduce the fishy smell.
See more
- 3 Ways to Braise Catfish: Braised in Clay Pot, with Pickled Vegetables, and with Turmeric for Rich Flavor and Aroma
- 2 Ways to Make Fragrant Basa Fish Stew and Basa Fish Braised in Clay Pot with Rich Flavor, Irresistible at Home
- Compilation of 12 Delicious and Easy Catfish Braising Recipes that Are Flavorful and Appetizing
Above are 2 recipes for pepper-braised catfish that are extremely delicious and flavorful, adding a special touch to family meals. Let’s try it out now, wish you success!
